Facebook Messenger Hits a Big Milestone

Facebook Messenger has hit a milestone, reaching 800 million users each month according to a recent announcement from VP of Messaging Products David Marcus.

2015 was a big year for the platform, as Messenger became faster, gained video calling functionality, as well as the ability to send and receive money. What’s more, the platform introduced a new way for businesses to serve their customers via the launch of Businesses on Messenger, began testing a digital virtual assistant named M and made photo sharing easier with Photo Magic. These updates have been well received, as the messaging platform has grown quickly. For comparison, Twitter has 320 million monthly active users.

It is important to note that Marcus also looked ahead to 2016 in his announcement, revealing five trends to look for in the New Year. Among these trends is the disappearance of phone numbers. This is because platforms like Messenger offer all of the things that make texting so popular, plus more.

“Yes, you can send text messages, but you can also send stickers, photos, videos, voice clips, GIFs, your location, and money to people. You can make video and voice calls while at the same time not needing to know someone’s phone number. You don’t need to have a Facebook account to use Messenger anymore, and it’s also a cross platform experience – so you can pick up where you left off whether you’re on a desktop computer, a tablet, or your phone,” said Marcus.

In addition to the disappearance of phone numbers, Marcus notes that more interactions will start taking place in Messenger threads instead of individual apps, and that Facebook will focus on doing more to enable additional businesses and services to build the right experience in conversations. What’s more, Messenger will continue to be a personalized communications channel for one-on-one and group conversations, and the platform will launch more innovative features to make everyday tasks simpler in 2016.

“It’s really important that we build products that solve real problems for people. We want all of our experiences to be delightful and helpful, and to make your life easier, but we also want to empower you to put a smile on the faces of those people who matter the most in your life,” said Marcus.